Category: General

An inspector will check many aspects of the home electrical system during an inspection. These electrical inspections are highly recommended for anyone buying a property.

During the inspection, they look at all outlets to make sure they are in good condition and are grounded. They must also have the right tension so that they hold any cord that is plugging in them.

They will do a service panel check to make sure everything is working. They even look at what is called the service drop which is the outside box or unit that lets the municipal electricity supply into your home through the main wiring system. They inspect the lighting fixtures, switches, and ground fault circuit interrupters.

The main part of the inspection will cover the wiring all throughout the house. If you are buying a newer home, most of the wiring should be up to date. If you are buying a very old home, this part of the inspection could reveal some unpleasant things.

There was a time that electrical wiring was done with knobs and tube wiring. Do not worry. These things can be fixed. Sometimes even relatively new houses have wiring problems that will need to be remedied before you buy it.

This is to keep you safe. As for purchasing a home, during the inspection, the inspector may also go over how the house is wired to accommodate any future needs you plan to meet for expanding or adding on to the house. They make sure none of the circuitry is overloaded.

Things that they do not go over include remote controls. They will not inspect security systems or carbon monoxide or smoke detector units. They also do not go over how old these items are. It is up to you to replace them as needed prior to moving in or closing on the home.

Anything that is considered an ancillary wiring system will also not be looked at, nor will they examine any renewable energy systems. This includes solar power systems or wind power systems. This probably makes a lot of sense as these are not powered via any electrical currents.

They will make sure that there are no electrical wiring mistakes anywhere in the home. When your inspection is complete, you will have a clear idea of the state of this important system to your new home. Always invest in a full, professional electrical inspection before you purchase a home.